Flame hardening torch



June 12, 1945. F. E, DRUMMOND 2,378,001

FLMAIE! HARDENING TORCH Fiied March 28, 1941 Patented June 12, 1945 FLAME HARDENING TORCH Folsom E. Drummond, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Machine Tool Company, Sidney, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Application March as, 1941, Serial No. 385,710

(01. its-21.4)

3 Claims.

This invention relates to flame hardening, and

more particularly to an improved device for heat treating metal surfaces which are subsequently quenched to harden the same.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improved device for flame hardening metal surfaces wherein the temperature of the flame applied to the surface is regulated so as to vary the flame temperature applied to the surface being treated.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for surface hardening lathe beds and the like wherein angular surface areas, such as comers, can be flame hardened by applying a heating flame over the entire surface, the temperature of the flame in different sections being so regulated that the metal will be heated to the required temperature after which it can be quenched to produce a. surface having the desired degree of hardness.

Another object is to provide an improved bumer which is adjustable for applying a heating flame to different shaped metal surfaces which are to be flame hardened. The heating flame is adapted to be directed against the entire surface being treated and controlled so that the degree of heat treatment applied to different portions of the surface can be varied as required to heat the metal to the proper temperature.

. It has been the practice heretofore to apply a high temperature flame to metal surfaces for heat treatment to harden the same and such a process and apparatus are shown and described in the patent to Philber A. Abe, No. 2,138,811. In the method and apparatus of the prior art, however,-

no adjustable temperature flame is provided whereby different portions of a metal surface being heat treated can be subjected to flame treatment but at a different temperature than another portionof the surface being flame heated.

In the flame hardening of metal surfaces, such as beveled, angular, or intersecting surfaces, it has been necessary to direct the heating flame against the adjacent intersecting surfaces and spaced from the comer or edge in order not to overheat the edge by conduction. The portion forming the edge which is not flame treated, however, is subjected to oxidation, particularly at high temperatures, which is undesired. Furthermore, themetal' surface hardened by flame contact produces a more uniformly hardened surface and one which is free from oxides, scale and the like products of oxidation.

According to this invention, the metal surface v hardened is contacted by the flame. A novel burner is provided whereby the heating flame is regulated by means of adjustable needle valves so that the heating flame can be varied to heat the surface being treated to the desired temperature. In flame hardening angular shaped or corner surfaces, the burner is adapted to be adjusted so that a flame 'can be applied over the entire surface including the edge or comer but with less intensity over the corner to compensate for the heat conducted to the corner from the adjacent sides. In this way, uniform heating of successive portions of a surface is effected by a high apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of my improved bumer nozzle which is shown partly in section in the interest of clearness;

Figure 2 is a, similar view as Figure 1 illustrating a burner having fixed flame jet openings;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially on the line i-t of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a modified construction of a, burner having fixed flame orifices and wherein the burner can be adjusted for treating angular or corner surfaces;

Figure 5 illustrates a similar adjustable burner and shown positioned forflame treating a corner or beveled surface, a portion of the burner being broken away and. shown in section to better illustrate the arrangement of the adjustable needle valves for controlling the flame;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the burner shown in Figure 5 which is arranged for e heating a straightaway surface;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional-view taken substantially on the line 'i'-i of Figure ti.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the burner nozzle it, as shown in Figure l, is connected to the fuel supply line ii, which is controlled by the cutoff valve means it. The burner nozzle is shaped for applying a heating flame to a beveled or corner surface, such as a lathe bedway it. In order to control the amount of flame and temperature applied to the corner or apex surface 55, there is provided a central baffle means i6 having adjustable gas cocks [8. The valve members M are adjusted to out down the amount of flame which is applied to the apex or corner surface, as required, to compensate for the conduction of heat from the adjacent sides l9 and 20 of the beveled way surface I 3.

of the flexible tube 46 which is in In Figure 2 a similarly constructed burner nozzle 2| is illustrated wherein fixed orifices 22 are provided through whichthe gas or fuel is supplied for burning. In this instance, the oriflces are graduated from the apex along the sides of the corner metal surface ll being treated. This type of burner may be used where a fixed uniform supply of gas or oxygen and acetylene is provided.

The construction of the gas cocks It, as shown in Figure 3, comprises the cylindrical rotatable valve body members 24 which are arranged transversely across the passageway a, are provided with corresponding sized apertures 21. A head portion 28 comprises a tool engageable portion 29 .whereby the valve body 24 can be rotated to open, close, or partially close the passageway!!! regulating the flame. Lock screw means Ila are provided for locking the valve members against further movement after they have been set to the desired position. I

In Figure 4 the burner illustrated comprises two halves 30 and ii which are hinged together and operable for adjustment to accommodate different angular surface ways which are to be flame hardened. The burner members 30 and 3| are pivoted, as at 33, and are hollow with fixed orifices 35 through which gaseous fuel to be burned is admitted from the supply line 36. In this instance, the gas orifices of the burner are not adjustable but are of graduated diameter, the orifice of smallest diameter being adjacent the apex surface of the corner way I! which is to be heat treated.

In Figure 5 a similar burner is illustrated as in Figure 4 wherein two flame applying nozzle means 38 are pivoted at one end, as at 30, to the supporting yoke 40, as illustrated in Figure '7. The burner nozzles are adjustable for applying a flame over a comer metal surface 4|. The burner members 38 are of similar construction and comprise adjustable needle valves 42 for controlling the heating flame applied to the different portions of the surface being hardened' Fuel is supplied to each nozzle member bymeans communication with the supply line 48. Individual shutoff valve means 49 is provided for regulating the fuel supplied to theburner nozzle means 38.

When the burner nozzles are connected to a supply of oxygen and acetylene which is supplied from a carburetor, not shown, and the flame adjusted so as to cover the entire surface being heated, the burner is arranged to be moved along the surface to be hardened at a predetermined speed. Immediately following the burner there is applied a stream of quenching fluid, such as water and the like. Suitable means for supplying a stream of cold water to quench the heated metal surface as the burners are moved along will be provided as is conventional and illustrated in the aforementioned patent to Philber A. Abe. Instead of oxygen and acetylene other combustible gaseous mixtures may be used to produce the high temperature flame.

If desired, the burner may be arranged'so that when flame treating corner surfaces the angular movement of the burner nozzles relative to each other automatically cuts down the amount of flame applied to the corner or edge surface so as not to overheat the corner, the essential feature, however, being in providing a device whereby the entire surface of the metal being flame hardened may be covered with flame which flame may be regulated so that its temperature is such as to Whenstraightaway surfaces are to be flame hardened the burners may be positioned as illustrated in Figure 6 and the needle valves adjusted to their open position so that an even temperature flame is applied to the entire surface.

The essential feature of this invention is in providing a'burner for simultaneously subjecting the entire surface of the metal to be hardened whether it be a straight, beveled, corner, or angular \shaped surface to controlled temperature flame treatment whereby the surface being flame hardened may be maintained covered by the heating flame to prevent oxidation or the formation of scale necessitating its subsequent removal.

It will be further understood that this invention is not to be limited to the particular features of construction shown but that variations may be made in the apparatus to suit different conditions and uses without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An apparatus for surface hardening metals, comprising a burner nozzle having a supporting yoke, a plurality of burner halves having face portions, the abutting ends of the burner halves filling the space between the open ends of the yoke, a single pivot means extending through the ends of the yoke and pivotally connecting together the abutting ends of the burner halves whereby the face portions of the burner halves may be adjusted to a position in the same plane with each other for flat surfaced work,

or the faces of said halves may be adjusted filling the space betwen the open ends of the yoke, a single pivot means extending through the ends of the yoke and pivotally connecting together the abutting ends of the burner halves whereby the face portions of the burner halves may be adjusted to a position in the same planev with each other for flat surface work, or the faces of said halves may be adjusted at an angle to each other for work having angled surfaces, and a plurality of orifices in each burner face, said orifices being located adjacent said pivot and said yoke ends, and means for adjusting individ-v ual orifices of at least one of said burner halves.

3. An apparatus for surface hardening metals, comprising a burner nozzle having a supporting yoke, a plurality of burner halves having face portions, the abutting ends of the burner halves filling the space between the open ends of the yoke, a single pivot means extending through the ends of the yoke and pivotally connecting together the abutting ends of the burner halves whereby the face portions of the burner halves may be adjusted to a position in the same plane sdlscent sold pivot Y sold faces comprising continuous un er surfaces. said surfaces mmou z. m'wmaonn. 

